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Risperidone Treatment of Behavioral Disturbances in Outpatients With Dementia

Received December 9, 1998; revised March 5, 1999; accepted March 17, 1999. From the Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; and Center on Neuroscience, Medical Progress, and Society, Department of Psychiatry, The George Washington University, Washington, DC. Address correspondence to Dr. Irizarry, Alzheimer Disease Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital-East, CNY 6028, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129.

The authors retrospectively assessed the effectiveness and side effects of risperidone used to treat behavioral disturbances in elderly outpatients with dementia. In 41 patients treated with risperidone 1.8±1.4 mg/day, there was complete suppression of the target symptom in 15%, partial response in 41%, and no response in 44%. Risperidone appeared equally effective in treating agitation and psychosis. New or worsening extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) occurred in 32%, associated with longer duration of treatment and possibly with concomitant use of serotonergic antidepressants. Risperidone was a useful adjunct in the treatment of agitation and psychosis in outpatients with dementia but was limited by EPS in about one-third of patients.

Key Words: Dementias (general) • Risperidone • Agitation • Psychosis

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